


In The Middle of Summer

by Papperchains



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Childhood Friends, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Idiots in Love, Implied Sexual Content, Kissing, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Summer, Summer Romance, Two Shot, johnten
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:41:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23431846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Papperchains/pseuds/Papperchains
Summary: It was the middle of summer. Long days, hot sun, clear skies and Johnny - Ten's best friend (and longtime crush) turning up out of the blue, in the middle of the night, to whisk him off on a road trip adventure. And well... Ten would be a fool to say no to something like that.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Comments: 13
Kudos: 125





	1. Tapping At The Window

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, I'm back with a little Johnten road trip au!! 
> 
> I was feeling in the need of something soft, and summery, and then this idea just kinda popped into my head and I knew I had to write it.
> 
> I hope you enjoy~~
> 
> As always, thank you to Teeg for being my wonderful beta, any other mistakes are my own.

_Tap… tap tap_

The time was coming up to three a.m., night air hot, and humid, despite the fact that the sun had long since set. It was nearing the middle of the summer break, long days stretching out with bright sunshine and endless possibilities. Clear blue skies left untainted by even the smallest wisp of cloud. It was the kind of summer you dreamt about as a kid: gazing longingly out of the classroom window, while you daydreamed about all the adventures you could be getting up to, if it wasn't for the limitation that was _school_. 

Ten, couldn’t sleep. He had been home from college for around two weeks by this point and, despite how much he loved the summertime, he could already feel the boredom of being stuck at home settling in under his skin. His bedroom was stuffy and hot; an open window giving little to no rest-bite from the thick humidity that seemed to surround him at all times. The temperature making it hard to think, and even harder to relax.

After hours of tossing and turning, he was just beginning to doze off, scratchy eyes falling shut, and mind drifting off, when: _tap… tap tap,_ he was jolted awake by the unmistakable, and rather irritating sound of a stone being thrown repetitively against his windowpane.

Letting out a huff of annoyance, Ten rolled himself over, burying his face in the bedcovers and willing whoever was trying to disturb his peace, to leave him alone. Right now, he wasn't at all in the mood to deal with any social interactions. Especially not when he was tired, and desperately trying to force his brain into sleep.

Just as this thought entered his head, there was another series of taps, the sound of a rock against glass quickly being replaced by a voice: “Pssst hey,” it hissed, in a loud, badly disguised whisper, “psst Ten, I know you’re awake.”

Rolling his eyes at the familiar tone, Ten hauled himself out of the too warm covers, and over to the open window, “What do you want, Johnny?” He whispered in return, deadpan voice trying to hide the smile that threatened to form across his lips.

“Shit!” Johnny suppressed a laugh, tipping his head back dramatically, “I didn’t actually think that would work.” He stated, leaning back against the hood of his car, whilst he continued to stare up at Ten’s now occupied window.

“What do you want?” Ten repeated, folding his arms over his bare chest, and fixing his friend with a less-than-impressed look. Waiting impatiently for him to explain himself.

“Oh right,” Johnny grinned, acting as if he’d forgotten the reason for being there in the first place — Ten saw straight through the facade. “I was just wondering if you wanted to go on a road trip… with me?” He questioned, patting his car now, as if to entice Ten over.

“A road trip?” Ten repeated, “What, right now?”

“Uh huh!” Johnny nodded enthusiastically, “Come on, it will be fun!” You’ve been home for weeks already, and we’ve hardly seen each other, I miss hanging out with my best friend.”

“But,” Ten spluttered, feeling his cheeks heat up at Johnny’s annoyingly whinny voice, “that’s ridiculous, I can’t just _leave_ … my parents — they’d be worried if I just disappeared in the middle of the night.”

“Ahh, please Ten,” Johnny all but begged, “It’s gonna be great. Besides, you’re twenty, you’re an adult. You can do what you want. And hey, there’s no reason to worry, I’ll look after you.” That statement did something funny to Ten, twisting his insides and settling a bunch of previously controlled butterflies free. He swallowed, scanning briefly around his room, and locating the majority of the things he may need in one go. 

“How long are we going for?”

Even in the dark, Ten didn’t miss the way Johnny’s face lit up at his words — smile blooming, as he continued to gaze at him, “A couple of days, I guess.” He shrugged, “We don’t have to go far or anything, I just thought it would be a bit of fun. You know, we always said we’d go on a road trip one day, so I don’t see why we shouldn’t do it now.” He explained, watching with hopeful eyes as Ten grumbled by his window before disappearing from sight.

“One-second,” he mumbled, more to himself than Johnny, by this point; stepping back into his room and setting to work. It didn’t take him long to locate his duffle bag, haphazardly stuffing some clothes, his toothbrush, phone charger, and some other objects that might be useful into it.

Before leaving his bedroom, he reluctantly ripped a page out of a near by sketch book, deciding it would probably be best to leave a note for his parents: explaining where he’d gone in the hopes that they wouldn’t be too angry about him running off like this.

Technically, it should be fine… his parents knew Johnny. His parents _liked_ Johnny, and, they knew Ten… knew how impossible it was for him to say no to something like this. Especially, when Johnny was the one asking. It was a badly kept secret that Ten had a huge crush on his best friend, or rather: badly kept secret to every living soul out there, _other than the best friend in question_ : Johnny, seemingly completely oblivious to Ten’s ongoing feelings for him. Continuing, much to Ten’s dismay, to treat him as his _bestest, closest friend_ , years after they had first gotten to know one an other. They were childhood friends; having met in middle school, the two of them had formed a fast friendship, becoming almost inseparable. They’d do everything and go everywhere together, larking about in the way kids would, from the day they’d met, all the way through high school and into collage. Sticking next to each other through thick and thin.

Ten’s feelings had began to form when he was fifteen. Johnny was sixteen, and after spending a summer abroad with his distant family, had come home taller, and broader, and leaner. Skin beautifully bronzed by the sun, and hair a soft caramel. Ten had felt at a loss of words when he’d laid his eyes on him, breath stuttering embarrassingly as he took in how much his friend had grown over the past few months. These emotions had only gotten stronger with time. Ten, over the next four years, becoming somewhat infatuated with the other boy, to the point that it was painfully obvious to everyone around him.

It didn’t help, of course, that Johnny was a massive, shameless flirt. He’d flirt with anyone and everyone. Knowing exactly how to use his natural charm, and easily winning people over with one of his signature smiles. And, despite the fact that Ten was supposedly his best friend, not even he escaped the unintentional torment that was Johnny’s flirtatious teasing, seemingly having to endure it more often than most other people. Johnny, however, never seemed to notice the effect he had on Ten. Despite the way his heart would race with every touch — face blushing scarlet at every comment, their conversations regularly flitting from unbearably flirty, to standard banter between friends, so fast, that Ten sometimes found it hard to keep up.

In the end (for his sanity), he had decided to ignore it. Reminding himself that this was just the way Johnny was. He was a flirt. _A smooth, attractive, annoyingly sweet, flirt —_ who’s actions and comments weren’t reserved for him alone. It was better that way. Better to remind himself of this. Better than getting his hopes up for nothing. Because, other than the everyday flirting, Johnny had never once shown any _real_ interest in Ten… and there was no way in _hell_ , he was going to ruin their long standing friendship, over a stupid crush. Even if the aforementioned crush still hadn’t gone away.

Sighing to himself, Ten grabbed a probably clean t-shirt form his bedroom floor, slipping it on over the lightweight trunks he was already wearing, before creeping quietly out of his room. Holding his breath, he tiptoed through the house, avoiding the squeaky floorboards and expertly manoeuvring himself down the stairs and towards the front door.

As expected, Johnny was still waiting for him — he was lent against the side of his car, with a smirk curling onto his lips, as if to say: _I knew you’d come._ Ten just rolled his eyes, making his way over to the passenger seat without a word, and ignoring the way his heart soared at the sight of his best friend. Johnny didn’t waste any time after that, rushing to the other side of the car, before climbing in beside him. “Where are we going then?” Ten asked, leaning back in his seat and watching as Johnny began to reverse out of the drive way.

“I don’t know yet.” Johnny admitted unhelpfully, grin slipping back onto his face, “I kinda thought we could just drive, and see where things take us.”

“Yeah? Okay,” Ten agreed easily, allowing the pretence of annoyance to drop away as he reached forward, connecting his phone to the car radio — music soon filling the vehicle, “just know that if I get in trouble, I’m gonna say you peer pressured me into this.” He joked, sending a grin of his own in Johnny direction.

“Go for it!” Replied Johnny. He laughed loud and open, eyes scrunching shut for a split second before they where back on the road, “Your parents love me, they can’t stay mad at me for long.” He finished, knowing full well just how true that statement was, as they headed quickly away from Ten’s house, and towards the open road.

***

Johnny’s car was an old, rust bucket of a vehicle, with hand operated windows, dodgy suspension and the tendency to break down when you where least expecting it. It was beaten up in several places, paint chipped, doors dented and metalwork noticeably corroded. The inside was no better, years of use staining the material of the car seats, and layering a dusty, musty scent into the material. However, Johnny couldn’t care less about its state, in fact he loved his car, taking to affectionately calling it his baby whenever anyone complained about it. He had brought it with his own money, saving up for months after he’d passed his test in order to put it on the road. Since then it had gone everywhere with him: to and from school — to and from college, Ten regularly being taken off on mini adventures all around the place, safe in the passenger seat of Johnny’s _trusty_ car.

It was comfortable ( _despite the lack of a working air-con)_ and familiar, Ten feeling right at home as they made it onto a highway. They had been driving for a couple of hours by this point, three a.m. turning to four, and four to five. The sky lightening significantly as they continued to drive. Ten’s phone was still plugged into the AUX cord, music playing out through the speakers and washing over the otherwise silent car. Neither one of them had spoken much at this point, both boys just happy to share each others company without a word needing to be uttered. It was just the kind of easy relationship they had. The kind of comfort that came with years of history.

The roads were mostly empty. The still, quiet night making it easy for Johnny to navigate, one hand resting lazily against the steering wheel, while the other was draped along his open window, breeze a refreshing change to the stifling weather.

Ten couldn’t stop his eyes from lingering, mesmerised by the way the street lights seemed to curve to the contours of Johnny’s face. Dipping into the hollow of his cheeks and highlighting his perfect Cupid’s bow. He bit the inside of his lip, allowing his chest to fill with an unacknowledged emotion, before ripping his gaze away.

To his side, Johnny looked over, eyes strangely soft. He let out an inaudible sigh, swallowing thickly before turning his attention back to the road; actions completely missed by Ten.

It was around six in the morning that Ten began to drift off, heavy eyes zoning out on the road ahead before closing completely. His need for sleep, from hours before, finally catching up with him. It was easy to drift off, Ten feeling completely at ease around Johnny and able to fully relax, the restlessness from being at home finally dissipating. He wasn’t sure how long he’d spent like that: knees brought up to his chest, head pressed against the window, but the next thing he knew, the car had come to a stop, and he was being shaken gently awake: “Ten,” Johnny spoke, voice soft as he coaxed his friend out of his slumber, “I’m just stopping off for gas, do you need anything?”

“I need a piss,” Ten mumbled, still mostly asleep as he attempted to sit himself up, stiff body complaining with each movement.

Beside him, Johnny just laughed, “TMI man,” he shook his head, “there should be a bathroom in the station, you can head in while I fill up.”

Nodding sleepily, Ten unbuckled his belt, slipping out of his seat, and making his way over to the shop entrance. It was easy to locate the toilet, Ten using it quickly before making his way back out, and running directly into Johnny, “Hey,” his best friend grinned, “mind helping me carry these?” As he spoke, Johnny dropped a bunch of snacks and drinks into Ten’s unprepared grasp, allowing him to enter the line in front of him. Once at the till, Johnny payed for the goods, and the two of them headed back to the car, dropping the food and drinks in the back seat, before setting off. The time, according to the clock on the vehicle dash, was nine-thirty a.m., the sun already bright, as rays of dazzling light shone down, waves of heat rolling off the hot tarmac in front of them in mesmerising pattens. 

As the drive went on, the two boys began to chat. Catching up properly for the first time in what felt like weeks. It wasn't that Ten had been ignoring, or actively trying to avoid Johnny since he’d gotten home. It wasn’t even that he didn’t like spending time with him, because he did, _he really did._ Spending time with Johnny was easy, it was fun. It made him feel light, and happy, and each meeting seemed to make him fall the littlest bit more in love… however, he had to admit, at times it was a lot easier to make himself unavailable, rather than put up with the frustrating, heartache that was being around his best friend for any length of time.

But now, weeks into his summer holiday, with Johnny chatting animatedly, about everything he’d wanted to share with Ten since the last time they’d met up, he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty, that he’d put off seeing him for so long, “I missed you man, don’t ghost me like that again,” Johnny had pouted at one point, nudging Ten on the arm, before turning his best puppy eyes on him. Ten had just ducked his head, using the same old reused excuse of being busy with family to brush him off, as a blush began to spread up his neck.

“I am sorry,” he added, a moment later, “I wasn't trying to avoid you, honest!” He smiled, nudging Johnny back when all he got was another over exaggerated expression “And besides, I’ll have more time now anyway, so don’t worry about having to kidnap me again, next time we can just meet up at home.” There was a short pause in which Johnny continued to look at him, gaze sending a hot, fresh wave of emotion through Ten. “Stop it,” he complained, hoping his laughter would hide how flustered he was really feeling.

“Stop what?” Johnny asked innocently, fluttering his eyelashes in Ten’s direction before turning back to the road with a faint smirk, “You’re gonna have to be more specific, _babe_.”

At the use of the nickname, Ten choked on air, body reacting against his will as his blush continued to spread up his face. Johnny earned himself a whack on the arm for that, not seeming in the least bit fussed as he continued to laugh teasingly from the drivers seat: “Don’t call me that,” Ten complained, hating just how much he actually loved it, “you know exactly what you’re doing… and stop looking at me like that, you’re literally driving right now, keep your eyes on the road. I don’t want to get in to a car accident, okay?”

“Yeah, okay okay,” Johnny continued to chuckle, reaching forward and turning the volume of the radio up, before pressing his foot to the pedal, and speeding off.

Hours passed, as did the landscapes around them. The suburbs they called home far away now, as they continued forward and into rural areas. Mountains flowed around them, large rock formations sticking out of the sun dried earth, and up onto the blue sky — towering above them. There were winding rivers, deep valleys and twisting towns, each new place bringing with it a different vibe, and a brand new atmosphere. It was beautiful, the rolling landscapes all blending into one like a scene from a film, as they drove with no final destination in mind.

Eventually they left the highway, deciding to instead take the more scenic route. Driving on older, narrower roads that stretched on for miles without any people in sight. Twisting with the land, instead of cutting harshly through it. They would stop every now and again, allowing the two of them to stretch their legs and eat some food, before heading back off, on the road. It was an easy routine: drive, chat, stop, stretch, eat, drive again — the pair repeating this cycle as the morning slowly turned to afternoon, and then to evening.

“Do you want to go for a bit of a walk?” It was around half passed four in the afternoon, the two of them had been taking their time, getting from location to location with no hurry, before Johnny had spoken up.

“Sure,” Ten agreed, his eyes were staring out the window, gaze locked on the passing scenery. In all honesty, he wasn’t really fussed as to what they got up to on their road trip, more than happy just to go along for the ride, no matter where that eventually lead them. “Got anywhere in mind?”

“No,” Johnny shook his head, driving with ease as he looked around for inspiration. Reading a road sign, his eyes lit up “Here looks like a good place to start, though.” As he spoke, he began to slow down, pulling off the main road, and taking a sharp turn into a clearing. They stopped in what looked to be a carpark. It was a dusty area shrouded in trees, with one or two other vehicles positioned around the edge. At the far end, a worn path could be seen, leading away from the road and off into the landscape, “Perfect,” Johnny concluded, stopping the car, and exiting swiftly. The sun was getting lower in the sky at this point, orange rays casting long shadows and painting the two of them in hues of gold, there was still quite a bit of time before it would set, meaning they should have plenty of time to explore before having to retire to the safety of the car.

“Let’s take a picnic,” Ten suggested, Joining Johnny round the side of the car, and grabbing the bag of snacks from the back as he did so. Agreeing, Johnny helped Ten hold the things they wanted to take with them, before the two of them headed in the direction of the path.

“This is what I’m talking about,” Johnny sighed, taking a long, deep breath of fresh air, as they continued down the winding walkway, “clean air, blue skies, just us and the open landscape, we should have done this long ago!”

“Yeah,” Ten nodded, eyes gazing in wonderment at the nature around them, “It’s really beautiful here.”

“Yeah, beautiful...” Johnny trailed off, soft tone of voice puzzling Ten, and making him turn and face him. What he saw staring back, confused him even more. Johnny was looking at him, eyes flashing with mild panic when they made contact with Ten’s own, before he was spinning away and once again aiming his sight off, to the land around them. He cleared his throat: “Um, how about we head to that area over there and have our picnic?” He suggested quickly. Successfully changing the conversation as he bounded off in the direction of a rocky clearing.

The route they were walking on was more of a hiking trail, than a mere path. Rocky walkway leading them deep into the landscape, until the carpark and joining road where almost forgotten about. Not that either Johnny or Ten minded — the two of them being more than happy to climb their way over rocks, and scramble through undergrowth in order to find the best picnic spot. In the end, the place Johnny had decided to head off towards, was exactly what they were hoping for. Flat rocky clearing sticking up as a raised platform and giving them panoramic views of the land around them.

They had both paused when they reached the summit, words lost, and scraped knees forgotten as they breathed in the sight around them.

“Yeah,” Ten nodded, speaking aloud once he’d finally caught up with his friend, “this place will do…” They shared a look, eyes crinkling as a bubble of giddy laughter slipped between their lips.

***

“So why me?” The pair had just finished eating, using the remaining hours of sunlight to lounge out in the open, taking in the evening rays and watching the insects buzz around them. One conversation had just tapered off (something about the plans Johnny had once summer was over), when Ten decided to speak up, breaching a subject that he’d been curious about from the start.

“What do you mean _why you_?” Johnny scoffed, “isn’t it obvious?”

“No, I mean,” Ten shook his head, “I know I’m your best friend _blah blah, and all of that_ , but I’m still kinda surprised... like, isn’t this something you’d rather be doing with a date? What about that girl... what was her name again? Weren’t you two technically going out?”

“Who told you that?” Johnny asked carefully, picking up a stray rock from in front of him and mindlessly flicking it into the nearby shrubbery. His eyes were down cast, body language seeming slightly tense as he waited for Ten’s answer.

“A friend,” he admitted, “it’s no big deal, Johnny, I mean we don’t have to tell each other whenever we start dating people, you know, it took me weeks to talk about my last boyfriend... not that that lasted long...” he laughed bitterly. In all honesty it had been more of a fling than a real relationship, and Ten, being pathetic, and undeniably in love with Johnny, had been the one to break it off, not wanting to hurt someone’s feeling by stringing them on for too long.

That’s how it always went. Ten would agree to go on a date with an interested individual, maybe even going as far as referring to them as his boyfriend. But it would never last. Relationships only going on for a matter of days or weeks before he was breaking it off, heart still unchanging in its feelings for Johnny. Who, on the other hand was much more into longterm commitments — any one of his past relationships out lasting Ten’s entire back catalogue.

It had hurt in the beginning, when Johnny brought his first girlfriend to meet him. Hurt even move when it was his first boyfriend. Ten feeling jealous and upset that he could never seem to provide the things that Johnny was looking for in a romantic partner. But, eventually (after a few days of feeling sorry for himself), he had gotten over it. He always got over it — pushing the ugly, bitter feelings down, and reminding himself that their friendship was always going to be more important than some date... or at least, he hoped it would be.

He had made the decision to start dating that year as well, eager to move on and find someone else to take his mind off his never ending crush. Of course, as it turned out, that wasn’t as easy as he thought it would be, years passing without anything really changing.

“Well, we’re not dating...” Johnny still had his eyes trained on the ground in front of him, “in fact, she’s not into guys, so there was never even a possibility that we would have gone out in the first place... we’re friends, that’s all, and she was just helping me out with something,” he shrugged, finally looking up at Ten, “besides, I’d rather be here with you.”

There was something unexpected in the way he spoke, a softness, a vulnerability, that had Ten swallowing hard, heart beating just a little faster as the words really sank in. He tried to smile, hoping to come off as light and breezy rather than look as if he was about to burst into tears of unrequited affection.

As always, Johnny didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he downed the rest of his drink, allowing himself to flop effortlessly onto his back, eyes now gazing off into the pastel hues of the sky, taking in the sight with a drawn out sigh.

***

Things had more or less gone back to normal, by the time the sun had fully set. That’s how it always was with Johnny. No matter what had happened, no matter what situation seemed to be opening up, it all went back to usual before anything could ever happen. Longing stares forgotten and casual conversation back in place.

They sat side by side, watching quietly as the sun eventually went down, and streaks of orange were replaced by deep blues. Stars beginning to show themselves in the empty sky. There were fireflies; the glowing insects creating their own constellations and bringing the stars to earth, as they hovered around them.

Before the dark of night settled over them completely, the two boys stood up, silently collecting the things they had brought with them, before heading carefully back up the path and towards the carpark. It was empty now, the few other vehicles having left long before the sun had gone down. It was around ten-thirty p.m., and after the early start (and long journey), both of them where beginning to tire.

“I’m exhausted,” yawned Johnny, as if to only cement what Ten had been thinking. He lent himself heavily against the side of his car, eyes scrunching shut and hand coming up to cover his mouth. “How about we stay here for the night, I mean it looks safe enough, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone around to stop us,” he suggested, looking towards Ten with a pair of heavy eyes.

“Yeah,” Ten agreed without a moment of hesitation, “Besides, I don’t think it would be safe to drive when you’re obviously exhausted. How long have you been up anyway?”

“ _Too long,_ ” complained Johnny with a tired chuckle. As he spoke, he manoeuvred himself over to the back doors of the car, briefly dropping the bag he was carrying on the floor, in order to lie the back bench seat flat. Laid down, the seat took up the majority of the cars boot, creating a kind of bed-like surface, that would probably, at a squeeze, fit two people on it.

Ten froze. It was one thing going on a road trip with your best friend, turned long time crush, but a whole other having to actually share a bed. He swallowed hard, waiting for Johnny to finish fussing about with a blanket, before speaking up: “Are we sleeping in the car?” He asked intelligently, shuffling nervously from one foot to another.

“Yeah,” Johnny nodded, same perfect grin clear on his face, “unless you want to sleep outside, that is?”

“Ah,” Ten felt his voice falter, “no, don’t worry, I just thought that maybe you’d have a tent or something... you know like the one your parents have, the big one with separate rooms.” He explained weakly.

“Na, too much hassle, besides, it’s not like we haven’t shared a bed before.” Johnny nudged Ten’s shoulder lightly, before sliding his way into the car — kicking off his shoes as he went.

“Yeah, but not since we were like thirteen,” Ten protested. It was true, before Ten had developed any romantic feeling for Johnny the two of them had been extremely close, regularly sharing clothes and sleeping in the same bed. However, since then, Ten had been very careful about how close he allowed himself to get to Johnny, making sure to keep a respectable distance out of fear that he might make him uncomfortable, “I mean how are we even gonna fit? I hate to say it John, but you are pretty huge!”

The words slipped out of his mouth before he had properly stopped to think about what he was saying. From his position stretched out across the makeshift bed, Johnny smirked: “You’re right,” he agreed, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, “ _I am pretty huge..._ ”

“Shut up,” Ten grumbled, trying to cover the giggle that was threatening to burst out of him with a glare, as he too began to crawl into the car. “Move up then, I don’t want to fall off.”

For a moment, the two of them jostled around, both men trying to become comfortable on the relatively uncomfortable, and definitely cramped space. Shifting awkwardly until they were laying face to face. There was a heavy tension in the air, Ten feeling the need to hold his breath as he stared into Johnny’s mirth filled eyes. For a second, it looked as if Johnny was going to say something more: mouth open, lips curling into a smile, as a no doubt flirty comment formed on the tip of his tongue. Ten, however, wasn’t interested in finding out — instead shoving his blanked roughly into Johnny’s face, and rolling himself until he was facing well away.

Behind him, he heard the muffled sound of Johnny’s laughter, followed by a tender: “Sleep well, Ten.”

Ten didn’t reply, eyes already drifting shut as sleep took over. It had been a long day, exhaustion well and truly present now as he finally got the rest he so desperately needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading so far!! Chapter two should be up next week, if not sooner~~


	2. Side-by-side

_Tap tap tap_

_Tap tap tap_

A new morning brought with it brighter skies, warmer sun and an unwanted visiter: Ten, once again being pulled out of sleep by the sound of something tapping against glass. However, unlike the night before, this time, the quiet, sporadic sound of a stone hitting against his window, was replaced with a loud, definitely angry rap of a knuckle.

Ten stifled a yawn, eyes still shut, as he attempted to stretch. He was warm, and surprisingly comfortable despite the makeshift bed, feeling undeniably happy, as he allowed himself to doze off once more.

_Tap tap tap_

_Tap tap tap_

Another series of taps echoed through the car, Ten’s eyes snapping open with a start. He winced, blinding morning light that had already flooded the car, attacking his vision, while his body shot jerkily upwards. However, un-expectantly, and much to his confusion, his movement was stopped before he had even managed to move a few inches. Chest kept firmly in place by the weight of a heavy, still very much fast asleep, head.

Ten froze, breath catching in his throat, sleep-filled eyes going wide with mild panic, as he took in the sleeping form of his best friend: Johnny’s eyes were screwed shut against the sunlight, parted lips dry from the bordering on unbearable temperature of the vehicle — as the gentle sound of an occasional snore escaped his mouth, and entering the otherwise quiet space.

It seamed, that at some point during the night Johnny had decided that _Ten’s chest_ (of all places), was a _much more appropriate_ , and _much more comfortable_ pillow than the worn, and slightly lumpy, car seat. Somehow managing, in the state of sleep, to snake his way into his personal space. Arms: slipping around his waist. Their legs unconsciously tangling themselves together. Of course, Johnny couldn’t be blamed for everything, and as Ten became more aware of himself, he couldn’t help but notice his own body language. He had one arm wrapped around Johnny’s torso, pulling him impossibly closer. The other, was practically cradling his head, fingers threaded into his hair.

His sudden, jerky wake up, coupled with his now tense stance, caused Johnny’s to stir on top of him — blurry eyes blinking open and landing, with an unexpected tenderness, onto Ten. Looking to the world as if _this,_ was a perfectly normal situation to be waking up to.

As Ten had expected, this momentary bliss didn’t last for long. Johnny only taking a millisecond, before the realisation of their compromising position sunk in — his eyes going comically wide, and mouth dropping open, with what was most likely an excuse, or apology, on the tip of his tongue.

However, before anything could be said between the two of them, there was yet another rap at the window. The jarring _tap tap tap_ , louder, and somehow angrier than it had been before. Bodies visibly jumping at the unexpected interruption, both Ten and Johnny’s heads whipped towards the sound. Locking quickly onto the gruff, and obviously irritated face of a man, on the other side of the door: “You can’t stay here.” He instructed, voice hoarse and low, giving the impression that he’d smoked a full packet of cigarettes for breakfast, “No travellers aloud.” The man punctuated the end of his sentence by spitting nastily onto the ground, eyes hard as he continued to take in the two boys in front of him.

Neither Johnny or Ten knew what to do. They were stuck: bodies tense and still, too frightened to move, too frightened to speak — struggling to come up with an appropriate reaction other than the undeniable fear, that had settled deep within them.

The man on the other side of the glass, didn’t seem at all sympathetic to their worried, and obviously sleep-dazed state, spitting once again before continuing to talk: “This carpark is for short stays only, if you don’t leave right now, I won’t hesitate to call the police.” As he spoke, the gruff man pulled out an old looking mobile phone, raising an eyebrow as he began to press at the keypad.

Seeing this, Johnny finally managed to launch himself into action. He shot up from his position, scrambling messily over the front seats, and sinking down behind the wheel, “We’re very sorry sir!” He half yelled, half croaked — voice still thick from disuse, “Don’t mind us, we’ll just be leaving now!” And with one last blinding smile, Johnny jammed the keys into the ignition, and stamped on the gas — car thrumming to life, and speeding out of the carpark. Leaving the angry man in a cloud of dust.

By the time they hit the road, Johnny was laughing loudly: head thrown back, face split into an impossibly bright grin. He let out a loud _whoop_ , turning the radio on, and twisting the volume up loud, “Fuck,” He laughed, shaking his head, “that was crazy, did you see that? I really thought he was gonna call the police back there!” He exclaimed, with another laugh, glancing over his shoulder to get a better look at Ten.

The bewilderment that Ten had been feeling, was quickly replaced with a strange giddiness. Light, happy laughter bursting out of him, as he took in the ridiculousness of the situation. There he was, sat on the makeshift-backseat-bed, legs folded neatly under him, as they sped away from a less-than-idiilic wake up. He was grinning from ear to ear, hair no doubt sticking up in all directions, t-shirt hanging loosely against his collarbones. Johnny’s eyes locked with his, the same emotions reflected back in his expression, as the two boys shared a moment. He looked extremely soft sat in the front seat: messy hair curling in front of his sleep heavy eyes, smile almost dopey as he looked at him.

Having had enough of sitting by himself in the back of the car, Ten, once Johnny had slowed to a more responsible speed, clambered his way into the passenger seat. He sat down with a huff,moving quickly, to wind down the window. The cool air whipped at his face, twisting his already messy hair and giving more of a windswept appearance. Ten allowed himself to breathe deeply, eyes closing as the fresh wind washed over him. “What time is it?” He asked, raising his voice against the sound of the music.

“Ten forty-nine,” Johnny replied easily, as he read the little numbers off the in-car-clock with a chuckle, “wow, we had a bit of a lie in!”

“Oh well,” Ten laughed back, “we obviously needed the rest.” He concluded, eyes trailing over Johnny once more, as the words left his mouth. For a moment, there was a pause. A pause in which the same tension from the night before seemed to grow. A pause in which no one spoke. Neither one of them mentioned the way they’d woken up that morning, conveniently forgetting about spending the night wrapped in reach others embrace. Not that Ten had really forgotten of course… no, in fact, he could remember exactly how it had felt, waking up with Johnny’s arms wrapped around him. The memory seared behind his eyelids, sewn into his muscle memory. An intense, yet comforting warmth blooming inside his chest. Unable to cope with the sudden burst of emotion, he turned his eyes away from his best friend, willing his heart to slow down, and reminding himself that last night wouldn’t mean anything to Johnny. Friends shared beds all the time. And besides, waking up like that was bound to happen, when the bed in question was just a folded down backseat. Still, no matter how hard he tried to push his thoughts and feelings away, no matter how hard he tried to remind himself that it wasn’t a big deal, Ten couldn’t shake the fact that he had liked it — waking up in Johnny’s arms. In fact, for that split second, before the panic had set in, he’d felt safe, and comfortable, and secure. As if everyday would be better, _if only_ he could wake up like that again.

“Hey…” it was Johnny’s voice that cut through the silence first. Soft, boarding on concerned tone pulling Ten out of his thoughts and back to the present. He turned his head, eyes flicking over to Johnny as he waited for him to continue. What he saw staring back, sent another jolt of butterflies through his system: Johnny was looking at him, forehead frowned, expression almost hesitant as he seemed to struggle for the right words. He took a deep breath, eventually settling on: “Um…” He paused, clearing his throat, “Don’t worry about that guy, it was probably just an empty threat… we’re not actually gonna get in any trouble…” he trailed off, the change in conversation giving Ten all the indication he needed, to know they weren’t gonna talk about how they woke up.

Instead of fighting it, Ten just let out an inaudible sigh, forcing a smile back into place, before replying: “Yeah, don’t worry that asshole didn’t bother me!” He laughed, nudging Johnny’s shoulder when he still didn’t look convinced, “Anyway, I’m starving, what are we gonna get for breakfast?” Ten questioned, stomach giving a helpful grumble as he did so.

Accepting this, Johnny let out a chuckle: “Well, in that case, I know exactly where we should go!”

***

They drove for about an hour, Johnny passing several gritty looking gas stations but never stopping. It seemed to Ten, that he was looking for something — eyes scanning over the different road signs, in search for a very specific destination.

As always, Ten didn’t mind where they ended up, more than happy just to go along for the ride, as long as that ride ended in somewhere he could get some food.

Eventually, after after pulling back onto a highway, and weaving their way through the busy traffic, Johnny found what he was looking for: “Aha!” He exclaimed upon seeing the sign, quickly getting the car into the correct lane of traffic, and turning off towards a large building complex. As soon as Ten saw it, he knew exactly what they were heading for, eyes lighting up as a service station came into view. It was a _big_ service station, the type with a hotel, and an indoor play area, and many different fast-food chains that were open, _for your convenience_ , 24/7. Bright, shiny and new. A gleaming, commercialised oasis, splat bang in the centre of a never ending highway — providing rest and leisure to all who passed it by.

Pulling into an empty parking space, Johnny cut off the engine and let out a sigh, “Finally,” He stated, turning towards Ten with a grin, “I’m starving.” With that, he was exiting the car.

Ten didn’t hesitate before following him out, pausing briefly by the side of the vehicle in order to check his appearance. He was slightly horrified by what he saw staring back: messy-bedhead hair sticking up in a tangle of strands. Gaping at himself, Ten began to hurriedly run both hands through his hair, attempting to flatten the spiky tufts and make himself look somewhat presentable to the public eye: “Fuck,” he sighed when one strand of hair continued to stand on end, no matter how much he tried to control it, “I’m a mess.”

“Yeah, but at least you’re a hot mess…” Chided Johnny from just beside him, face becoming visible in the reflection as he took a step closer. Unlike Ten, Johnny looked like the equivalent of those _‘I woke up like this’_ posts. His hair was soft, and touchable, as if the gentle breeze from the open window was all he needed to perfectly style it, face practically glowing in the bright sunlight. In any normal situation, it would have been enough to take Ten’s breath way, however, and much to Ten’s relief, his teasing words were more than enough to distract him from his beauty.

“Fuck you,” Ten pouted, “not everyone can look as effortlessly perfect as you do in the morning, don’t be such a dick.” He glared, covering his hair self-consciously as he did so.

“I’m sorry Ten, I didn’t mean it,” Johnny whined, attempting to wrap him up in one of his big bear hugs, “You don’t look like a mess, I promise…” he pulled away slightly, waiting for Ten to look him in the eye before continuing, “I actually think you just look pretty hot.” He ended his statement with a shrug, not giving Ten anytime to react before he was stepping fully away, chucking Ten his duffle bag, and striding off towards the station.

Blinking dumbly after him, Ten didn’t know what to do, unsure whether the words that just left Johnny’s mouth were in fact real, or if they were just a mere figment of his innermost fantasies.

“Are you coming?” Johnny’s voice was once again the thing that broke him out of his thoughts — Ten’s face flushing noticeably as he snapped out of his daze and rushed in after him.

***

Their first stop, after walking through the sliding double doors and admiring the cleanness of the building, was the bathroom. Both Ten and Johnny wanting to freshen up, and change into something other than the clothes they’d been wearing for the passed thirty something hours.

Ten exited the cubicle wearing a fresh pair of clothes, that were almost identical (other than the colour) to what he’d been wearing before: shorts, and a slouchy t-shirt. He sighed at his reflection, haphazardly shoving his old clothes back into his bag, and inwardly cursing himself for not thinking about what outfits he brought with him.

Johnny, having finished changing before him, was already by the sinks, toothpaste in hand, and toothbrush in mouth. He didn’t acknowledge Ten as he approached, concentrating on the task at hand, rather than his friend. This all changed, however, when Ten, who had just begun to brush his own teeth, flicked him, with a splash of cold water. He paused what he was doing, looking up at Ten with a raised eyebrow. “What?” Ten mumbled around his toothbrush, feigning innocence despite the mischievous glimmer in his eye. Johnny only narrowed his eyes, turning back to the sink in front of him, and continuing on from where he’d left off.

Again, this didn’t last for very long: a bigger, colder splash of water hitting him directly on the cheek. Unlike the time before, Ten didn’t even try to pretend that it wasn’t him, eyes crinkled as he let out a laugh. At this, Johnny’s eyes seemed to sparkle. He turned away from Ten once again, finishing what he was doing before: splash — he aimed a jet of water towards Ten’s face.

“Hey!” Ten yelped, face scrunching at the unexpected shock.

“Uh huh, two can play at this game, Tennie... don’t start a war you’re gonna lose.” And with that, the battle commenced. Ten only just had enough time to rinse his mouth, before another splash of water was hitting the side of his face. This time, however, he didn’t hesitate before fighting back, what had started off as a little tit-for-tat, turning into a full blown water fight — fresh clothing getting steadily dampened, as loud shrieks and laughs filled the bathroom.

Johnny was the first to call ceasefire, holing his hands up in surrender as Ten shot one more perfectly aimed splash in Johnny’s direction. “Okay, okay, you win.” He laughed, pink stained cheeks, round with laughter as he protected his face from any new attacks. The ends of his hair were dripping, t-shirt clinging to his chest. He looked good... really good, and Ten couldn’t help but let his eyes linger for a second too long. A second, that Johnny didn’t miss.

They paused. Eyes holding contact for just a moment before Johnny turned away: “Crap,” he laughed, looking at the the water that had fallen over the sinks and onto the floor, “We’re such public nuisances,” he concluded, breaking the tension and beginning to mop up some of the mess with a handful of tissues.

“Speak for yourself,” Ten scoffed jokily, “I think you’ll find I’m an angel.” He fluttered his eyelashes as he spoke, words earning him a wad of tissues to the face 

“Yeah, a fallen one maybe...” Johnny shot back a little too quickly, comment making Ten gasp in mock shock, hand moving to claps dramatically at his chest. However, and much to his irritation, Johnny changed the topic before he could say anything more along the same line. “Come on, let’s clean up and grab some food, I really am starving.”

As if on cue, Ten’s stomach gave another low grumble, sound reverberating around the empty bathroom. Johnny let out a chuckle at the sound, chucking the now wet paper towels into the bin, before gently dragging Ten back into the main eatery.

***

After cueing for food, the two of them grabbed their trays of coffee and sweet pastries, and headed for the outside tables. It was still hot, as it had been throughout the majority of the summer, midday sun strong as it beat down against them — working quickly to dry out their damp shirts.

Johnny sat down first, taking a large gulp of his iced coffee and letting out a sigh of contentment. “Ah, I needed that.” He stated, indicating to his drink, “been really craving a caffeine boost while driving this morning.”

From the other side of the table, Ten let out a chuckle, taking a bite out of his croissant before replying, “Yeah, maybe we should choose somewhere we won’t get kicked out of next time we go to sleep... I don’t really want that kinda wake up call again.” He folded his arms, fixing Johnny with a pointed stare while he waited for him to talk.

Much to his surprise, Johnny didn’t try to fight back or argue his reasoning. Instead, he ducked his head, letting out a quiet chuckle, “Yeah...” he trailed off, “I’m sorry about that, um... I wish I could say it won’t happen again but...” he shrugged, “I can’t make empty promises.”

“Well at least you’re honest.” Ten huffed out a laugh, stealing a mini muffin from Johnny’s plate and stuffing it into his mouth in one go. Johnny didn’t retaliate, soft smile slipping momentarily into place, before he was shaking his head.

“You’re crazy,” he mumbled, more to himself than to Ten, eyes cast down as he continued to eat his food.

“Wait a minute, _I’m crazy?_ You were the one who kidnapped me for this trip in the first place, how come _you’re_ not the crazy one?” Ten spluttered into his own coffee, eyes narrowing as he looked at his now openly laughing friend.

“Touché...”

They finished eating soon after that, both of them sharing each other’s food, and enjoying their coffee, before heading back into the service station.

“There’s a few things I want to pick up,” Johnny explained, leading the two of them into one of the convenient stores, and down the isles of food.

From his position to the side, Ten let out a hum of acknowledgement, eyes already scanning over the different products, as he decided what he wanted to get. Johnny didn’t complain when several bags of snacks where placed into the basket; lips twitching up, into a small smile as they continued to browse side by side. Eventually, he found what he was looking for, smile growing as he placed a pack of six beers into the basket, next to Ten’s snacks and the assortment of other food and drink they had decided on. Ten didn’t blink at the addition of alcohol, briefly wrinkling his nose at the cheap brand, but otherwise not thinking too much about it. After all, they were college students…

Noticing his nonplused reaction, Johnny spoke up anyway: “It’s out last night,” he shrugged, “might as well make a bit of an event out of it.”

“Sure,” Ten laughed, “because three cans of beer each is a real event.” He was joking as he spoke, elbowing Johnny in the ribs.

“What can I say?” Johnny joined in without a moments hesitation, “I really know how to go all out.”

The person behind the register gave them a suspicious look as they unloaded their basket, peering over her glasses as if she was assessing them. “I’m gonna need to see your ID, please sir.” She asked, pausing in her motion of scanning as she spoke.

“Oh, of course,” Johnny agreed easily, shooting her one of his effortless smiles while he pulled out his wallet. It was an old wallet, leather creased over time and discoloured from the sun — aged in the same way as his beloved car. Ten had given it to him as a parting gift to Johnny before he went off to college. It was already second hand, and not at all expensive, but he had felt it fit his friend well. And as expected, Johnny had loved it, using it instantly and never swapping it for something newer, not even years later. Acting as if it was his most precious possession, rather than an old, second hand wallet.

He couldn’t help smile as he saw it now, eyes gazing over the familiar object, before landing back on the cashier.

“Here you go,” Johnny continued, handing over his drivers licence and waiting for the member of staff to confirm the information. The woman seemed satisfied with what she saw, handing his ID back before ringing up the total.

They left carrying one bag each, feeling refreshed and ready to set off on their journey once again. Ten didn’t even bother asking where they were heading this time round, knowing Johnny himself probably wouldn’t have the answer.

As the morning had progressed into early afternoon, the temperature had only increased. Sun burning down and settling into the air. Making it probably one of— if not _the_ hottest day of the year. Ten could feel the sweat beginning to bead around his forehead before they even made it back to the car, wafting his t-shirt to cool him down, as he handed his bag over to Johnny.

There was a moments pause. In front of him Johnny seemed to take in Ten’s appearance, eyes flicking from his face as he watched a drop of sweat slide down Ten’s neck and disappear into his t-shirt. He swallowed. Throat giving a noticeable bob. Ten could sympathise, he too was already gasping for a drink, making sure to keep two bottles of water out, for the up coming drive. His movement caused the stillness to break, Johnny gabbing the bag and loading it into his car in quick succession, before he was clearing his throat and heading towards the drivers seat.

For once, Ten was one step ahead of him, sinking into the passenger seat and already plugging his phone in.

The windows were wound down, the music was turned up, and then they were off — speeding away from their temporary sanctuary and onwards onto the never ending highway.

***

It wasn’t long before the scenery began to change once again, roads splitting off and giving way to beautiful landscapes.

The land seemed to be greener here, dusty oranges and dirt roads replaced with grass, and previously missed foliage. Trees stretching taller and denser, sheltering them from the mid afternoon heat, and creating light shows across their vision.

It was beautiful, and as Ten sat there, arm hanging out the open window, warm breeze blowing at his face, and Johnny - where he always was - by his side, he couldn’t help but wish they had more time. Wanting the days to drag on for longer so they could continue this for as long as they wanted to.

Just the two of them, the open road, and no set destination.

Sat beside him, Johnny couldn’t help but glance over, once again watching Ten as the light of the lowering sun painted him in beautiful, glittering golds. “What are you thinking about?” He asked into the quiet of the car, the music had been turned down low at some point, now being mostly overwhelmed by the steady engine rumble, and whistling wind.

Smiling, Ten turned away from the window, eyes soft as they landed on Johnny: “How happy I am.” He answered truthfully, not caring how cheesy or predictable his statement was.

From the grin that spread over Johnny’s face, he didn’t seem to care, nodding before speaking again, “I’m glad you’re happy.” The way he spoke was so genuine, so emotive that for a moment, Ten forgot who he was sitting next to, eyes fluttering and breath hitching.

“Me too…” he just about managed to breath out, hoping his voice didn’t sound too strained as he spoke.

“I’m happy too.” Johnny added a moment later, eyes once again falling back to the empty road ahead of them, as a content sigh escaped his lips, “I’m really happy.” They fell quiet at that, a comfortable, light silence settling over them as they continued to drive.

***

The sun was just beginning to set when they decided to find somewhere to stay for the night, navigating the roads and following directions until they found themselves in a carpark that _did_ allow long stays.

They had been driving for the best part of the day by that point, stopping off only a few times in order to eat and stretch their legs.

This was the third carpark they had tried, pulling up and double checking that they could in fact sleep there, before letting out a sigh of relief. It had been a long afternoon of driving to and from carparks, all with either a clear indication that they were not welcome, or, no signs at all… and after that morning’s rude awakening, neither boy where in much of a hurry of a repeat experience.

However, it seemed good things really did come, to those who wait, as, this carpark in particular seemed to hold a different aesthetic to the rest. It was backed onto a forested area, trees rustling gently overhead and bathing the whole clearing in a sense of calm — glimpses of what looked to be a lake peeking through the tree line. Ten couldn’t help but feel this was exactly where they were meant to be.

It was still warm as they exited the vehicle, late afternoon rays falling perfectly into the little clearing and bringing with it the last of the scorching weather, Johnny and Ten not feeling in the least bit chilly, as they gathered their things and headed towards the shore. They didn’t have to walk far, a small, fairly clear pathway leading them through the trees and straight to the waters edge, a small, grassy bank the only thing between them and the gently rippling water.

The lake itself was a lot bigger than they expected, stretching out and across to what looked like other, distant woodlands, framed picturesquely by far away hilltops. It was almost too idyllic, as if a painting had materialised in front of them, allowing the two of them access to what would normally be unattainable. There where water lilies and reeds — buzzing insects flitting over the surface of the water, birds occasionally diving down to drink from its depths. And to the side, a little away form where they were stood: a fire pit, just waiting to be lit.

“Wow,” they both breathed, in almost perfect unison, eyes trailing over the lake and surrounding area.

“I think we really hit the jackpot with this one.” Johnny chuckled, eyes curving as he looked towards Ten.

“I think you might be right,” Ten agreed, gaze still trained on the ever so inviting water ahead of them. There was a pause of silence before he spoke again: “Come on, let’s eat. I’m starving, and I kinda want to see you struggle to set that fire…” He joked, gabbing a bag of food and leading the two of them forward.

“Okay, challenge accepted,” Johnny was close behind him as they approached the fire pit, collecting sticks, twigs and appropriate firewood from around them before crouching down next to it, “Let me show you how it’s done.” And with that, he was pulling out a lighter, sparks igniting swiftly with the dry foliage, and quickly settling alight to the rest of the collected sticks.

“Pfft, you got lucky,” Ten scoffed, shaking his head in mock disapproval.

“I think you’ll find it’s called ‘coming prepared’,” countered Johnny. He was grinning at Ten, crouched down beside the fire as he continued to feed sticks and leaves to it.

“Whatever, it doesn’t count unless you had to work for it.”

“Oh yeah?” Johnny raised his chin at Ten’s words, arms folding across his chest, “I’d like to see you work for it.” He stood up then, walking towards Ten with a cocky confidence in his stride.

“I bet you would,” Ten pursed his lips, refusing to back down from his earlier comment.

“Oh I would, _I really would_ … come on Ten, show me what you got…” That statement sent a strange thrill through Ten’s system, making him shiver despite the warmth that was still surrounding the lake. He swallowed hard, eyes flitting away from Johnny’s — breaking the moment and watching (to his amusement) as the fire Johnny had just set, fizzled out.

“Ha!” He stated, “looks like you need to try again, flame boy.”

“Flame boy?” Johnny chuckled, turning his attention away from Ten and back to the fire. His second attempt was much more successful, Johnny making sure to feed the fire properly this time round, watching as it grew into something a lot less temperamental. “There,” he stated triumphantly, “now that’s how you do it!” He sat himself down, routing through one of the bags and pulling out a sandwich, and a can of beer.

“Hmm, alright, I’ll let you off, at least we’ve got a proper fire now.” Ten laughed, sitting down next to Johnny, and waiting expectantly for him to pass over a can. They cracked them open at the same time, clinking them against each other before taking a drink. As Ten expected, the beer tasted pretty nasty... he wasn’t the biggest fan of beer at the best of times, and especially not cheep stuff that had been sitting in the back of a hot car for hours... but, as he wanted to drink, and this was all that was readily available, he wasn’t going to complain.

Unlike Ten, who would pause to wrinkle his nose between gulps, Johnny downed his can in one go, throat bobbing as he tipped his head back. “Ah,” he exclaimed, crumpling his now empty can in his hand before dropping it to his side, “nothing beats beer on a hot day.”

“Yeah... I don’t know Johnny, I can think of several dinks that beat lukewarm beer.” Ten raised his eyebrow, finishing his own can before turning back towards the other man. 

“In that case, I can have your share if you want — beer hardly gets me drunk anyway.”

“Nah, I don’t think so. That’s what they all say,” Ten smirked, “then the next thing you know, they’re face down in a puddle of their own vomit.”

“What kind of lightweight do you take me for?” Pouted Johnny, looking unfairly cute as fluttered his eyelashes.

“Please, I’ve seen you at parties, I know exactly how much you can drink.” Ten brushed the subject away, “But the answers still no — besides, I never said I didn’t want to drink.” With that, he was chucking Johnny a bag of snacks and digging into his own food — watching the flames dance as the sun became steadily lower.

They ate comfortably, lounging out on the bank of the lake as their eyes gazed over the large body of water. It was peaceful, and calm, and quiet. The gentle rustling of leave the only thing to break the stillness.

They chatted happily into the evening, laughing about past memories and just genuinely enjoying each other’s company. There was no one else about other than the two of them — just how they liked it. It was strangely freeing being alone with only nature and Johnny as company, and Ten couldn’t deny that he was really gonna miss it, when things undoubtably went back to normal. They never seemed to have time for each other anymore, real life getting in the way of their friendship and keeping them busy. But these past few days had only proven just how much Ten missed spending all his time with Johnny, longing, almost wishfully, for their carefree days to return to them.

It was around that point: sun stretching hues of reds and coral over the clear sky, and lighting up the lake in front of them, that Johnny stood up. “What are you doing?” Asked Ten, feeling mildly amused as, just in front of him, Johnny began to strip. He made a real show of it, pulling his t-shirt over his head and chucking it teasingly at Ten, before he was kicking off his shoes and heading for the water in nothing but a pair of shorts.

“I’m going swimming, what did you think I’d be doing?” He called back, sending a wink over his shoulder, that had Ten blushing, before driving somewhat elegantly into the lake.

The water was a murky grey in colour, silt from the bed being stirred up, and swirling in ripples as Johnny entered the lake. There was a splash, Ten laughing as he attempted to shield himself from the spray, followed by a loud cheer — Johnny emerging out of the water and waving.

“Ten, you have to join me!” He laughed, beckoning his friend over, “the waters so nice and refreshing.”

At the mention of cooling off, Ten couldn’t help but become painfully aware of the sweat that had trickled down his back, and stuck uncomfortably to his top. He didn’t have to think too hard before he too was standing up and pulling his own shirt off — sticking his middle finger up when, from the water, Johnny let out an obnoxiously loud wolf whistle. His action only making Johnny laugh louder as Ten took his first step into the lake.

The water was exactly how Ten had hoped it would be. It was cool, and refreshing, but, much to his joy not too cold that it would become uncomfortable over time. In fact, it was the perfect temperature to relax in after an unbearably hot day. Ten couldn’t help but let a quiet sigh of relief, slip out of his mouth, as he made his way towards Johnny, water quickly coming up to his chest.

Upon seeing his approach, Johnny took a deep breath, plunging himself back under the water, and completely disappearing from view. Ten stopped still, eyes narrowing as he searched for any ripple or disturbance that might give away his location. He didn’t have to wait for long however, for as soon as this thought entered his head, he felt a warm hand snake around his calf. “What the fuck!” He yelped at the contact. Thrashing his feet, and managing to swim himself into deeper water. “ _Johnny,_ ” he complained, as his friend reappeared from the depth, hand pushing his wet hair out of his face, as he laughed at Ten’s reactions, “you’re such an asshole, I hope you know that.” He pouted, lightly hitting Johnny’s chest once his friend had swam over to meet him.

“I’m sorry, that was a bit of a dick move,” Johnny admitted, legs treading water as his hands moved to hold delicately onto Ten’s hips — the two of them working together to stay afloat.

“You think?” Ten grumbled, not quite noticing how close they had become. His hands were resting against Johnny’s arms, legs brushing his with every kick.

“I’m sorry,” Johnny repeated, thumbs beginning to rub soothing circles against his sides, “is there anything I can do to make it up to you?” There was something in the way he talked that had Ten looking up from the water, biting remark on the tip of his tongue. However it died as soon as his eyes locked onto Johnny’s own. His best friend was looking at him, in a way no friend ever had before. Eyes soft, gaze trailing over his features, before dropping lower, burning hot trails over his chest and making Ten’s heart accelerate.

Ten hesitated, eyelids fluttering embarrassingly as his own eyes traced over Johnny’s movement. He reached forward, damp fingers brushing through Johnny’s hair, moving stands out of his vision and drawing his attention back up. “Um...” he mumbled, trying, and failing miserably, to come up with any words that didn’t sounds suspiciously like: _kiss me now, you fucking idiot._

However, Johnny (for once), seemed to know exactly what he was thinking, “Can I kiss you?” He murmured, eyes flitting down to Ten’s lips, before he was closing the distance.

The kiss was soft, and sweet, and painfully short — Johnny pulling away, upon noticing how tense Ten had gone. “I’m sorry…” He mumbled for the third time within a matter of minutes, eyes glancing away as a beautiful blush bloomed across his face, “couldn’t help myself…”

In front of him, Ten’s eyes fluttered open, heart racing in his chest as he cupped his hand against Johnny’s jaw: “Why did you stop?”

“I’m… sorry?” Now Johnny just sounded confused, eyes once again locking onto Ten’s as he waited for him to continue.

Unable to help it, Ten shook his head, murmuring a fond “You idiot,” before once again closing the distance.

With Ten leading the kiss this time around, Johnny seemed to grow in confidence, arms winding themselves around his waist and pulling him closer, as Ten’s hands tangled into his hair. What had started off as a soft and sweet exploration, soon progressed — lips moving, tongues sliding, bodies drawn together as they continued to bob gently in a cool lake water. Kissing Johnny was exactly how Ten had always dreamed it would be: Johnny’s lips were soft, and plush against his own, he tasted sweet and almost familiar — the subtle tinge of alcohol mingling with something undeniably Johnny. It was almost overwhelming, the push and pull of their bodies. Ten finding himself moving closer, asking for more — each movement sending a buzz of adrenaline through his system, his own actions becoming more natural as time went on.

He was the first to break the kiss, breathing hard, as a smile appeared across his lips. In front of him Johnny had much of the same expression, eyes still closed as he lent their foreheads together. “Johnny,” Ten panted, lips still inches apart, “what are we doing?”

“Erm… kissing?” Johnny answered helpfully, words pulling a gentle laugh out of the two of them.

“Come on, you know what I mean… we’re best friends for fucks sake, and correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe this is what best friends normally do…” He bit the inside of his cheek once he’d finished speaking, wishing his stupid brain would just allow him to bask in the perfect moment, no matter how short lived that might be, instead of questioning absolutely everything.

“I don’t know…” Johnny trailed his fingers through Ten’s damp hair, eyes tracing over his features, “It could be what best friends normally do… if you wanted it to be?” He sounded almost hopeful as he spoke, as if he was just waiting for Ten to agree and close the space between them once again.

Unfortunately, Ten’s brain to mouth filter had obviously become slightly frazzled from the kiss, as, before he could stop himself, he was speaking again: “But…” He blinked, trying to make sense of what he was hearing, “I don’t get it, in all this time you’ve never once given any indication that you know about my feeling for you… so why now?”

“Wait…” Johnny paused, own eyes reflecting the confusion Ten was feeling. He swam them both back to shallower water, waiting until they could both touch their feet down, before speaking again, “You have feelings for me? What do you mean you have feeling for me?” There was a pause, Ten’s face heating up as he realised what confessions had just slipped out of his stupid mouth. In front of him, Johnny shook his head, giddy smile appearing on his face: “You mean to tell me, I’ve been flirting with you for months, and all this time you’ve already had feelings for me?”

“Yes… I mean no… wait, you’ve been flirting with me? That’s rubbish, you flirt with everyone, how was I supposed to know flirting with me meant anything different.”

“Well,” Johnny hesitated, blush continuing to spread up his face, “I see your point, but… I haven’t exactly been flirting with anyone for a while… or looking to date anyone or… I don’t know, even been interested in anyone. I’ll admit, it took me a while to realise, but Ten,” he moved his hands, trailing them down his sides until they rested securely against his hips, “I’ve been pretty hung up on you for a long time now…”

“You have…” Ten felt like an idiot, unsure how he could have missed his friends change in behaviour, “Why didn’t say something?”

“Because I thought you’d be mad, or uncomfortable… I was worried you’d reject me…” The look of disbelief that flashed onto Ten’s face had Johnny laughing, “let’s just say you did a really good job at hiding your feelings.”

“Either that or you’re completely oblivious—” Ten blurted, eyes going wide as he realised how rude that might have sounded.

Thankfully Johnny didn’t seem to care, instead letting out another laugh, before pulling Ten towards him: “Maybe we’re both idiots…” he mumbled, body moving until his lips were once again mere inches away from Ten’s, “but it’s okay, cause I like you anyway…” He sealed his words with another kiss, Ten allowing himself to melt fully into the embrace this time, arms snaking around his neck as he leant up on his toes to meet him in the middle, allowing all thoughts to leave his head as every sense was overwhelmed by Johnny.

They spent some time like that, just kissing and laughing in the shallows of the lake — making up for lost time and only leaving the water once the sun had fully set. Not that this put a stop to their actions, the two of them lounging out by the fire late into the night, sharing kisses and waiting for their clothes to dry out as they watched the stars glitter above them.

They did eventually move, hands linking as they walked away from the lake and back towards the car, Ten not wasting a single second before he was pushing Johnny back against the makeshift bed and practically climbing on top, gazing down with want in his eyes, as Johnny’s hands began to explore his body — each touch and encouraging groan spurring them both on.

They fell asleep in a tangle of limbs — bodies tired, but content, smiles lingering and eyes heavy as they snuggled into each other’s embrace, no longer worried about overstepping boundaries or getting their hopes crushed.

Ten felt happy, and safe, and satisfied. Heart swelling, as Johnny pulled him close, draping the blanket around their waists before they were finally dozing off.

***

The next morning, Ten awoke to kisses — a pleasant change from the morning before. His eyes fluttered open, smile already in place as he took in the situation he woken up to: like the day before sunlight was already filtering into the car, bright rays illuminating the scene in front of him. Like the day before, the weight of Johnny’s body pressed against his own was instantly noticeable — arms snaked in an identical manner around his waist, chest pressed against his side. However, unlike the day before, any panic or confusion was replaced with comfort, and happiness. Johnny’s sleep dry lips, pressing sweetly against his neck, his jaw, the side of his face. Feather light touches pulling Ten out of his slumber and into another beautiful day.

“Morning sleepy.” Cooed Johnny, his own voice still somewhat croaky as he moved himself up in order to gaze directly at Ten. “Did you sleep well?”

“I did,” Ten smiled, covering his mouth as a yawn slipped between his lips, “I slept so well, what about you?”

“Yeah, I slept perfectly.” Johnny’s eyes were soft as he gazed at Ten — lips all pouty and tempting.

Ten smiled, linking his arms around his boyfriends neck and pulling him down for another kiss. Boyfriend... boyfriend: that was gonna take some getting used to! The word seemed to swim around his brain, creating a giddy feeling inside his chest and causing him to smile even harder. Boyfriend. Stretched out by the fire, the night before, They had discussed what they wanted to be to each other. Eventually coming to the mutual agreement that being in a romantic relationship, and referring to each other as their boyfriend, was exactly what they wanted.

Johnny: his best friend and his boyfriend. Never in all his adolescence did Ten dream he’d get this lucky. It was this thought that pulled a laugh out of him, lips stretching into a grin, and breaking the slow, soft kiss they were sharing. 

“What?” Johnny chuckled, pressing his face into Ten’s shoulder and peppering the skin there with more kisses.

“Nothing,” Ten continued to laugh, arms holding on tight to Johnny’s back as he tried to convince himself that it was all real, “I just can’t believe how dumb we’ve been for so long!” he shook his head.

“Yeah?” laughed Johnny again, “Well, we’d better use this summer to catch up on everything we’ve missed out on then... don’t you think?”

Ten couldn’t agree more, nodding his head eagerly before pulling Johnny down, and connecting their lips once again.

***

They did eventually get moving, packing up and pulling on fresh clothing before setting off on the road.

The drive back home should technically be shorter than the journey out there — the highway leading to their city not too far way, and then just a few hours of fast travel until they’d be back at Ten’s place and, if Ten was being honest with himself he really should go home. For starters, he’dtold his parents to expect him back that day — they’d been kind enough not to bother him while he was away, and on top of that, over two days of living out of a car was probably getting a bit ridiculous...

Besides, the last thing he wanted was to make people worry, and both him and Johnny had kinda disappeared out of the blue.

Still, despite this, the two boys seemed to set it about themselves to drag the not-too-long journey out, until it stretched over the majority of the day. They did this by taking detours or making more stops than necessary. Using their extra time off the road to laugh, and chat, and kiss. Acting as if this was the only opportunity they’d have to do so, in quite some time.

By that point, Ten didn’t care if he was home late, more eager just to spend every second he could with Johnny — wishing to hold tightly onto the last two days.

Unfortunately, no matter how many pitstops they made, the road eventually took them home, Johnny pulling up to Ten’s front door, as the in car clock ticked over to eleven.

“Well, here we are.” Johnny stated rather matter-of-factly. Cutting off the car engine as he looked over at Ten.

“Here we are.” Ten repeated, his eyes were locked on Johnny’s — the two of them obviously trying to hold on to the last bit of their journey. “Home sweet home... we should do this again sometime.”

“Yeah,” Johnny cracked a smile, letting out a soft laugh, “we really should.”

Ten was the first to close the distance between them, pressing their lips together in an impossibly short kiss, feeling almost shy as he turned his attention back to his house. The lights were still on — Ten’s parents probably still up and waiting for him. He sighed, exiting the car with one last smile, and a soft: “I’ll see you soon.”

However, he didn’t manage to get any further than a few steps from the car — duffel bag hoisted over his arm and hand reaching for the front door handle — before the sound of Johnny’s car door opening stopped him in his tracks: “Ten,” he called, voice loud, with an unmistakable hint of desperation. Ten turned around, expression open as he waited for Johnny to continue, “Uh... I,” he hesitated, “I think you forgot something...” and with that, he was walking towards him, arms sliding around his waist, head leaning in to capture his lips. It took less than a second for Ten to react, his own arms linking around Johnny’s neck as he pulled him in for more, closing the space between them and successfully diminishing any shyness that had previously formed. The goodbye they deserved finally happening.

Sighing into the kiss, Ten felt himself get lost in the moment, eyes closing and heart beating wildly. In front of him, Johnny seems to feel the same way, the two of them only parting when he could no longer suppress his grin.

“Tomorrow,” he panted, when they had both put some space between them. “Tomorrow, lets go on a date, let’s go out and have fun and be annoyingly cheesy.”

“Okay,” Ten agreed easily, leaning up for one last kiss, “I’ll see you tomorrow then.” And with that, they really did part ways, Ten blowing a kiss to Johnny as he drove away, before heading inside with a bright smile on his face. A smile that fell as soon as he turned the corner and came face to face with his parents. The two of them were watching him with matching knowing looks.

“Well, that sure took you two long enough...” his mom laughed, eyes twinkling as her face split into a grin.

Ten couldn’t help but smile at her words, blush steadily rising on his face, “yeah,” he agreed, “I think you might be right about that.” They didn’t chat for long, Ten promising to talk more in the morning. For now, however, he was tired and still trying to get his head around everything that had happened, over their spontaneous road trip. Excitement for tomorrow’s date already building up inside him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, please do leave kudos or comment if you enjoyed!!! And thank you to those that already have, I really appreciate it!! 
> 
> I wrote this as a little pick-me-up so I hope you liked this summertime road trip fic~~ 
> 
> Thank you again to Teeg for being as helpful as always!! 
> 
> And I’ll see you in the next one <33


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